Campaigns Director

About Solar United Neighbors

Solar United Neighbors is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to creating a clean, equitable, resilient energy system that benefits everyone. We believe rooftop solar will be the cornerstone of that new energy system. We help people go solar, join together, and fight for their energy rights. We are a national organization with robust grassroots programs in 12 states and Washington, D.C., and we are quickly expanding our on-the-ground work to new states each year.

Each state program is building an army of solar advocates and supporters by promoting solar through education, events, advocacy, and local solar installation bulk-purchase programs (aka solar co-ops). Our organization is growing, and the environment is fast-paced. This is an ideal place for someone looking to dive in and contribute to the growth of a dynamic non-profit. Since 2009, we’ve facilitated more than 5,400 individual solar installations, resulting in more than 50 MW of solar capacity. We work hard, get things done, and have fun doing it!

Position Summary

The Campaigns Director will join SUN’s Policy and Advocacy department, helping to achieve our mission of building a large, impactful, and engaged solar citizen activist movement. The Director will report to the Vice President of Policy and Advocacy.

The Director will carry out and support federal- and state-level grassroots organizing campaigns to advance distributed solar power and energy equity and democracy. They will develop and communicate a clear strategic vision for these campaigns, including the strategies and tactics, roles and responsibilities, targets, and external and internal stakeholders. The Director will develop thoughtful and strategic coalitions to lead successful campaigns, approaching campaign governance and decision-making such that SUN’s position is strengthened by every campaign whether we win or lose.

Duties will include:

• Develop and deploy compelling campaign story arcs that create intense grassroots engagement and bring new people into the SUN tent.
• Test creative new campaign tactics that give our network more ways to take action in support of solar growth and rights.
• Serve as project manager throughout campaigns to ensure optimal coordination between external partners and between SUN’s Policy and Advocacy, Growth, and field teams.
• Coordinate closely with the Growth team on drafting, scheduling, and deploying campaign collateral, including emails, web pages, earned media pieces, and paid and organic social media. For some campaigns, the Director will draft campaign materials or coordinate with external contractors.
• Identify and cultivate relationships with key partner organizations, including environmental groups, religious institutions, and others.
• Engage and mobilize a bipartisan network of solar homeowners, advocates, and partner organizations.
• Work closely with our Engagement team to turn successful, creative tactics into replicable (rinse and repeat) toolkits that can be used frequently for future campaigns as needed.
• Help identify and implement opportunities for SUN supporters in all 50 states to engage around solar policy issues and rights.
• Help to create and implement effective online advocacy tactics.
• Participate in coalition calls, webinars, and meetings.
• Help SUN capture and track information about relationships with partners and other organizations (for example, keeping records in Salesforce).
• Assist with tracking advocacy work for grant reporting, annual reports, etc.

Qualifications

• Must have at least five years of grassroots organizing experience
• Must have deep strategic sense how to build the strategy, alliances, narrative, and tactics to win issue campaigns.
• Must be relentless, creative, and innovative.
• Must have mastery telling an engaging story and building, engaging and mobilizing a network of activists and coalition partners.
• Must work well with others, and know how to build and be a member of complex internal and external teams.
• Must be comfortable speaking in public and representing Solar United Neighbors with funders, partners, members, and the press.
• Must be very organized, and be able to track details, budgets, commitments, and multiple partners and moving parts.
• Must be digital savvy, with experience with online and social media tactics, pitching stories to reporters, getting noticed and making a splash.
• Must have a passion for the creation of an energy system where everyone gets to make and benefit from their own local power.
• Knowledge of solar policies a plus but not required.

This position reports to the VP for Policy and Advocacy.

This is a full-time position. Most of our staff work across the country, so we welcome both DC-based and remote candidates. If you’re in the D.C. area, our offices are located in a bright, sunlit building directly above the Dupont Circle metro station. We look forward to returning to the office once COVID passes. If you live somewhere else, we have Slack and video conferencing to keep us connected. Occasional travel, when safe to do so, may be required.

We welcome candidates of diverse backgrounds and experience to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQi, differently-abled, and those with a non-traditional education.

We’re an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our organization. We don’t discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.